Dhun Karai

Partner – Financial Advisory
Payments Advisory

At Grant Thornton, Dhun leads the Payments and Financial Services Advisory practice drawing on deep local and global expertise from years of work with the leading banks, merchants, acquirers, government services, card schemes, technology/fintechs, regulators and investors.

The highly reputed team are trusted strategic advisors to Boards and CEOs/CFOs/CTOs. The team specialises in end-to-end merchant payments, cards and financing markets deploying modernisation of operations and innovations through strategic insights, digital transformation, technology procurements, data partnerships and regulatory, risk & compliance advisory for domestic and multi-national clients. The team is at the forefront of merchant payments innovation and new technologies in Australia currently working with ground-breaking AI technology companies on building quantum accelerator models for improved customer experience, productivity, operational management and innovation capabilities for acquirers and merchant clients.

Dhun established herself as a leader in the merchant payments & retail industry as Group Head of Payments & Financial Services at Woolworths Group by implementing in-house a direct-to-issuer world class payments processing infrastructure, launching nationally contactless/NFC in Australia and digital payments across its 3000+ retail stores, digital businesses and brands, the Quantium data partnership, the introduction of gift cards, the Pays and BNPL payments and its loyalty and rewards programs. She has provided expert advice to the 2014 Financial Services Inquiry (Payments) and in legislative & regulatory changes in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and the EU Commission (Finance).

At Commonwealth Bank, Dhun held various senior executive roles across audit, risk and retail banking. As Chief Manager, Personal Markets, she led the overhaul of its consumer products/services teams to a data-driven, customer-led culture and spearheaded the initiation of its modernisation of core retail banking systems and new operating models. Dhun then focused on accelerating business growth through ground-breaking digital innovations with the consumer launch of Netbank and Commsec, alliances with third-party networks and international expansion.

Dhun was a founder board member of eftpos Australia Ltd. and appointed to the inaugural Australian Payments Council (2014-2016) by the Reserve Bank of Australia. She has served on the regional payments acceptances committees of Visa in relation to payments acquiring, at AusPayNet senior committees and spearheaded the setting up of the Australian Merchants Payments Forum and the Australian Prepaid and Gift Cards Association in Australia. Dhun was a founder committee member of the Federal Government’s initiation of setting up the fintech hub Stone & Chalk in Australia.

Currently, Dhun is a member of the global Merchant Advisory Group and holds various non-executive advisory and board roles as chair of Finance Committees and Risk & Audit Committees. Dhun mentors women in banking and payments and is a strong proponent of diversity in leadership and teams.